The most delicious kale salad ever! This is an easy, massaged kale avocado salad with a simple soy, ginger and sesame dressing.
Kale is one of those ingredients that I have learned to really love over the years. It’s so versatile; you can eat it raw or cooked, and it lasts much longer in the fridge than lettuce. What’s not to love?
Ok, so some people find that kale is a little too bitter for their palate, and if you’re one of those people, I want you to give this kale salad a try.
There are a few things working in the favour of this kale salad; the first are the simple ingredients (kale, avocado and carrot) that work to help mellow the bitterness of the kale, and the second is the bold salad dressing.
But in order to make this a restaurant-worthy salad, the first step, is to massage the kale.
Why should you massage kale for a salad?
Massaging kale does a few things. First, it helps break down the cell structure which gives kale a softer texture making it more tender and less chewy. I also massage kale in this white bean tuna and kale salad.
That said, be careful not to over-massage as you don’t want to end up with mushy kale. Once it starts to soften and turn a darker green colour, it’s done. Bon Appetit’s has a helpful explanation about how to massage kale properly.
Let’s talk about the dressing. This is a ginger, soy dressing with sesame oil. Kale can stand up to these bold flavours and we all know that these flavours pair so well with avocado.
I love to add some grated carrot into this kale avocado salad; not only does it add beautiful colour to this otherwise, completely green salad, but it also adds a hint of sweetness. Plus carrot and ginger are a classic combination.
What can you serve this salad with?
I love to make this salad to go with my baked sweet potatoes on the barbecue–sometimes I make a little extra dressing to drizzle on top of the sweet potato–trust me, it’s delicious!
Kale Avocado Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 small bunch kale, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 avocados, diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
Ginger Soy Dressing
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 small clove garlic, grated
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss kale with 1 tablespoon of lime juice and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Massage kale with your hands, crunching between your fingers until kale becomes darker green and tender, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in avocado and grated carrot.
- For the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk sesame oil with lime juice, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Add dressing to salad and toss to serve.
Fiori
Hannah
Lou